


Kiss it Better

by Redribbonhood



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Friendship/Love, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 10:12:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15604056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redribbonhood/pseuds/Redribbonhood
Summary: Varric receives a letter and a bruised ego from someone he wishes he could forget. His best friend, the newly named Champion of Kirkwall, is sure she can help.





	Kiss it Better

**“Why the long face, Varric? Not another Qunari invasion I hope**.  **That would make two this week,”**  Marian Hawke is surprisingly cheery for someone still recovering from mortal wounds. Honestly, Varric is astounded the mage is even standing, let alone walking into his suite. He’d nearly had a heart attack as he’d watched the Arishok run her through. But here she is, as inappropriately humorous as ever.

 **“It’s not your problem, Hawke,”**  he tells her, running a tired hand through his hair. He nonchalantly turns over the letters in front of him. The name ‘Bianca’ disappears before his guest can peer over his shoulder.

 **“Oh, haven’t you heard?** ” Hawke is pulling up a chair from the dining table and dragging it loudly beside his writing desk.  **“Everything in Kirkwall is my problem,”**

Varric snorts. Unfortunately, she isn’t wrong. The past five or so years he’s known her she’s somehow stumbled into every problem in the city. And somehow even fixed most of them. People were calling her a hero and he was starting not to like it. Bad things happened to heroes…Hawke was no exception. They’d been through a lot together; Bartrand’s betrayal, her brother leaving for the Wardens, her mother’s death.. He trusts Hawke more than anyone in…well, anyone. Still, he’s not ready to share this particular story.  

**“It’s not something you can help with,”**

**“Don’t be so sure. Helping people and killing people is what I’m best at,”** she reminds him, as cheeky as the first time she’d said it some years back.

 **“Yeah. They should make you a Champion,”** Varric answers flatly and she blinks at his tone but doesn’t press. He’s mad at himself for being dismissive towards her; it’s not Hawke he’s mad at. When she stands up he’s sure she means to leave but she only saunters over to the dining table to pour them drinks.

 **“To problems that I don’t have to solve,”** Hawke grins, handing him his mug and toasting. And when he smiles back at her it’s genuine and it’s better than he’s felt all morning. For a second he thinks about telling her. All of it- Bianca and him, the crossbow, the marriage…he can’t. At least, not right now. He gives her what he can.

 **“Been writing to some old friends,”**  he begins, tentatively. She gulps down her ale while watching him curiously and he continues before she can make another sarcastic comment.  **“I was hoping this one friend might stop by Kirkwall since she’s passing through the Free Marches…but. Well, you know how it is.”**

 **“Was she ambushed by slavers or did she fall down a dragon pit?”**  Hawke asks. She sets down her empty glass and the quirk in her lips tells him she doesn’t mean to mock. He laughs shortly and shakes his head.

**“Right. I forget that _most_  people live less exciting lives than us. Nah. She just…decided not to come. Would rather hang out with dwarves with less impressive chest hair I guess.”**

**“Her loss,”**  Hawke sighs, shaking her head standing up. This time she really does look like she has somewhere to be. **“I’m sorry your friends have no taste in company, Varric. But speaking of company- come with me to Lowtown? I have to get these bandages replaced and Anders is going to _kill_ me for being late.”**

 **“Now Hawke, as much as you know how I _love_  Lowtown, I regretfully have to decline.” **Varric is all wry smiles and sarcasm but he does wish he could go. He’s been learning in that achingly slow way that he’d follow her anywhere…  **“Daisy’s expecting me soon for tea. But tell Blondie that kissing wounds better is _usually_  a better problem solver than killing late patients,”**

 **“Varric Tethras,”**  Hawke announces dramatically.  **“Rogue, storyteller, and now professional medical problem solver.”**

She laughs and Varric shouldn’t be surprised anymore at how beautiful that sound is.

 **“So can _your_  problem be solved that way, Varric?”** her voice carries the same tone he’s heard her use to tease many the admirer. He knows better than to think anything of it. Hawke is a shameless flirt.

 **“My problem?”**  Varric considers it. Decides against it. He scoffs and shakes his head, standing  so that he can walk her out, but neither of them move towards the door.  **“Unfortunately, ‘kiss it better’ doesn’t exactly apply to bruised egos, Hawke,”**

Hawke hums then leans down, hand on his shoulder, brushing her lips against his. Varric feels his heart skip a beat and suddenly feels like he’s swallowed raw lyrium. The kiss is slow and teasing and she grins when she pulls away. 

 **“Well. I should still get points for trying,”**  she winks before heading down the stairs. Varric stares after her for a moment before breathing deep. His heart is still doing weird flips in his chest but he can’t seem to put away the stupid smile on his face. And when he tosses Bianca’s letter into the fire, he finds that it doesn’t hurt anymore. A disbelieving laugh escapes him. Kissing better a bruised ego…So there really  _wasn’t_  anything Hawke couldn’t do.

**Author's Note:**

> "You are  
> What you love,  
> Not who loves you."  
> -FoB
> 
> Part of a "50 Kisses" Writing Prompt request. But also because I love this ship.


End file.
